I was wanting information on belly bands/shapers to help my stomach muscles recover and get back into shape after giving birth. Wondering what brands other people used, how they work, pros and cons, how much they cost, and if they worked well for you.
Mums share their experience with recovery shorts post partum
- I used SRC recovery shorts, they are pricey but worth it. I used them day and night for 4 weeks and then just night time for 2 weeks, I read you had to use them roughly for 6 weeks but I noticed a difference in the first two weeks and just kept going anyway. I didn’t have a ceaser and wore them from day 2, a little difficult to put on at first but they stretch, you notice they are tighter again after a wash. I had stitches down there as well and I found it made that feel more secure. Also lost nearly all baby weight in the first two weeks but was breastfeeding as well. Kristy-Anne
- I had a belly bandit. It was very good in helping reduce my stomach size and supporting my abs and lower back in the first 6 weeks pp. I had he SRC pregnancy shorts and while they were good they made me so hot, I would definitely take that into consideration when choosing what to get, especially if you are having a summer baby. Kate
- I had a belly bandit but when I saw a Physio about 2 weeks after birth for ongoing hip pain she told me unless I was having back pain that I shouldn’t be using it as they just allow the abdominal muscles to become lazy and less likely to recover. However I had no abdominal separation. I think it’s important to be assessed on a case by case basis as depending on degree of separation and if you have a c sect it may or may not be right for you. Jordana
- Belly bandit. I’ve used it after 2 csections and loved it. Bronwyn
- I used SRC recovery shorts and they were great. I had a c-section and it really helped with the pain and keeping everything in place. A friend of mine worse them after natural birth and she loved them too. We both lost about 80% of our pregnancy weight in around 2 weeks! One tip though – if you’re a the bottom of a size when measuring yourself eg just in the large size, get the next size down as you’ll probably shrink into them in a few days after giving birth so the smaller size will work longer for you. Veronique
- My sister used these belts.. Just purchase a couple of sizes so as you lose weight/belly shrinks back down you can continue to have the support.. I’ll be using these in a couple of weeks http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web… Shannon
- src shorts are the best Tammy
- SRC Recovery Shorts. They’re amazing, I put them on 3 days after I had my dd and had amazing support through my hips, back and tummy & 3 months later I’m back to my pre pregnancy size. They’re a bit pricey but well worth it. Ellie
- I love my SRC pants Danielle
- i asked my physio at the hospital and they gave me compression bamdages which i put on every day!! Maybe your local hospital would have something like this? Emily
- I’m a women’s health physio and thoroughly recommend SRC shorts as they give you abdominal, pelvic and perineal support. Biggest downfall is they are a bit warm over summer once you are moving around more. Lauren
- At SJOG hospital they give you “tubi grip’ for free. Spoke to physio and she said this does exactly same job as recovery shorts but just not as nice looking and $120 cheaper! So check with your hospital as they might do something like this too. Jenny
- I used belly bandit and loved it. I had a Caesar and it gave me lots of support when I was walking around the ward. I also liked wearing it in the car because the seatbelt was lined up perfectly with my scar and our 4WW was a bit bumpy. 10 weeks on and the only thing that will give me better abs will be exercise. lol! Like I have time to remember to do planks. Hahaha!! Seriously though, it isn’t comfortable to sit with the belly bandit on, but I’m very short, so that might have been the problem? Fifi
- I used a prenatal cradle. It was mostly for support after my belly started sticking out really far and caused back and hip pain. It gave great support and relieved a lot of my pain and discomfort. I couldn’t wear it while sleeping or sitting. I just wore when I was up cleaning, working or shopping. My insurance covered mine. Olivia
- Belly bandit Sophie
- Src recovery shorts, I had stomach muscle separation and worked wonders Amy
- I purchased the pregnancy recovery shorts from my physio. They can also be bought at baby shops. Can’t recommend it highly enough Katie
- I bought one from ebay for $20 and it was awesome after my c section. When I didn’t have it on I really noticed the lack of support. It was basically a back brace. Couldn’t afford the other ones … Michelle
I used a belly bandit some of the time, it was so uncomfortable, I needed to be able to bend and sit with my son but it is just so very stiff and way uncomfortable besides being hard as hell to get on. Veronica
Share your thoughts on belly bands or shapers for recovery post partum
